1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having an openable lens cover on a body of the camera. The lens cover can be closed and opened to cover and uncover the front of the photographing lens of the camera, respectively.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cameras of recent years are often provided on the front of the camera body with a light-emitting indicator (using a light emitter such as an LED) which serves as an information indicator such as a self-timer status indicator or an in-focus-state indicator. If this type camera is provided on front thereof with a lens cover plate (lens barrier), which is closed and opened to cover and uncover the front of the photographing lens (lens barrel) of the camera wherein the range of movement of the lens cover plate is large, the degree of freedom in location and shape of the aforementioned light-emitting indicator is limited.
The present invention provides a camera having an openable lens cover plate which has a high degree of design freedom in location and shape of the light-emitting indicator is achieved.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a camera is provided, including a camera body having a photographing lens; a lens cover plate which is supported on the camera body so that the lens cover plate moves between a closed position at which the lens cover plate covers the front of the photographing lens and an open position at which the lens cover plate uncovers the front of the photographing lens; and a light emitting device, wherein at least one element of the light emitting device is positioned on the lens cover plate.
The light emitting device can serve an indicator for indicating information on the camera by light emission.
The light emitting device can include a light source positioned in a through-hole formed on the lens cover plate, and a transparent member positioned in front of the light source.
It is desirable for the light emitting device to further include a light-source controller, provided in the camera body, for controlling light emission of the light source; and a flexible printed wiring board which connects the light source with the light-source controller, and is flexed by a movement of the light source when the lens cover plate moves between the closed position and the open position.
The flexible printed wiring board can include two straight portions extending substantially parallel to a direction of movement of the lens cover plate; and a U-shaped portion which connects the two straight portions. The camera further includes a biasing device which pulls the U-shaped portion in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the lens cover plate to remove slack in the flexible printed wiring board.
The U-shaped portion can be positioned inside the camera body.
The lens cover plate can be supported by the camera body to be positioned outside thereof, and the U-shaped portion is positioned in a space between the lens cover plate and the camera body.
Alternatively, the lens cover plate can be supported by the camera body to be positioned outside thereof, and a front wall of the camera body can be provided with a through-hole via which the flexible printed wiring board is drawn into the camera body from outside the camera body. The through-hole is formed on a portion of the camera body which remains covered by the lens cover plate when the lens cover plate is in the closed position and when the lens cover plate is in the open position.
The lens cover plate can be supported by the camera body to be positioned outside thereof. A front wall of the camera body can be provided with a through-hole via which the flexible printed wiring board is drawn into the camera body from outside the camera body. The through-hole can be formed on a portion of the camera body which remains covered by the lens cover plate when the lens cover plate is in the closed position and when the lens cover plate is in the open position. The flexible printed wiring board can further include a third straight portion extending substantially parallel to the two straight portions, the third straight portion being positioned on an opposite side of the front wall of the camera body with respect to the two straight portions; and a second U-shaped portion which connects the third straight portion with one of the two straight portions, the second U-shaped portion being positioned in the through-hole.
The lens cover plate can be supported by the camera body to be positioned inside the camera body, the light source and the transparent member, which is positioned in front of the light source, can be fixed to the lens cover plate, and the transparent member is covered by the camera body when the lens cover plate is positioned in at least one of the open position and the closed position. The camera body can include a transparent portion which is positioned in front of the transparent member when the lens cover plate is positioned in at least one of the open position and the closed position.
The transparent member, which is fixed to the lens cover plate, can be covered by the camera body when the lens cover plate is positioned in the open position, and the transparent portion of the camera body includes a through-hole formed at a position on the camera body which faces the transparent member when the lens cover plate is in the open position, and wherein a second transparent member fitted in the through-hole.
It is desirable for the transparent member, which is fixed to the lens cover plate, to remain covered by the camera body when the lens cover plate is positioned in one of the open position and the closed position. The transparent portion of the camera body includes a through-hole which ranges to correspond to a range of movement of the transparent member, and a second transparent member fitted in the through-hole.
The lens cover plate can be supported on the camera body to be positioned on the outside thereof. The light emitting device can include a light source formed at a position on the camera body which is covered by the lens cover plate when the lens cover plate is positioned in at least one of the open position and the closed position; and a transparent portion formed on the lens cover plate to allow light emitted from the light source to pass through the transparent portion.
The light source can be formed on a portion of the camera body which remains covered by the lens cover plate when the lens cover plate is in the closed position and when the lens cover plate is in the open position, and the transparent portion of the lens cover plate allows the light emitted from the light source to pass through the transparent portion when the lens cover plate is positioned in one of the open position and the closed position.
The transparent portion of the lens cover plate can include a through-hole formed on the lens cover plate to be positioned in front of the light source when the lens cover plate is positioned in one of the open position and the closed position; and a light guide which includes a light exit portion fitted in the through-hole and a light guide portion, the light guide guiding light emitted from the light source to the light exit portion via the light guide portion when the lens cover plate is positioned in the other of the open position and the closed position.
The transparent portion of the lens cover plate can include two through-holes formed on the lens cover plate, one and the other of the two through-holes being positioned in front of the light source when the lens cover plate is positioned in the open position and the closed position, respectively; and two transparent members fitted in the two through-holes, respectively.
The biasing device can be an extension coil spring extending between the U-shaped portion and a stationary portion of the camera body.
The main power of the camera can be turned ON and OFF when the lens cover plate is positioned in the open position and the closed position, respectively.
The transparent member can be fixed to the lens cover plate to project forward from a front surface of the lens cover plate so as to serve as a fingerhold.
The transparent member can be fixed to the lens cover plate to serve as a diffusing lens.
In another embodiment, a camera is provided, including a camera body having a photographing lens; a lens cover plate which is supported by the camera body so that the lens cover plate moves between a closed position at which the lens cover plate covers the front of the photographing lens and an open position at which the lens cover plate uncovers the front of the photographing lens; and a light-emitting indicator including a light source and a transparent member positioned in front of the light source, the light emitting indicator being fixed to the lens cover plate.
In another embodiment, a camera is provided, including a camera body having a photographing lens; a lens cover plate which is supported by the camera body so that the lens cover plate moves between a closed position at which the lens cover plate covers the front of the photographing lens and an open position at which the lens cover plate uncovers the front of the photographing lens; a light source formed at a position on the camera body which is covered by the lens cover plate when the lens cover plate is positioned in at least one of the open position and the closed position; and a transparent portion formed on the lens cover plate to allow light emitted from the light source to pass through the transparent portion.
In another embodiment, a camera is provided, including a camera body having a photographing lens, a lens cover plate which is supported by the camera body so that the lens cover plate moves between a closed position at which the lens cover plate is positioned in front of the photographing lens and an open position at which the lens cover plate is positioned aside from front of the photographing lens, and a light emitter. The lens cover plate includes a transparent portion through which the light emitter emits light toward front of the camera.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-56025 (filed on Mar. 1, 2002) which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.